Pacific Grove, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Pacific Grove, CA Summary

Cost of living in Pacific Grove research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Pacific Grove is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Pacific Grove is 203, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Pacific Grove is 2.0x higher than the national average.

  • Pacific Grove ranks as the #533 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Pacific Grove ranks as the #6,330 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Pacific Grove is $1,372,602.

  • The median income in Pacific Grove is $105,568.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
203
Pacific Grove's Overall Cost Of Living
2.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Pacific Grove, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Pacific Grove has an overall cost of living index of 203, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Pacific Grove has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Pacific Grove ranks as #533 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Pacific Grove ranks as the #101 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Pacific Grove, check out:

533 out of 634
In California
6,330 out of 6,489
In America

Pacific Grove Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Pacific Grove. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Pacific Grove is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Pacific Grove is 117.

  • The Health index in Pacific Grove is 121.

  • The Housing index in Pacific Grove is 402.

  • The Transportation index in Pacific Grove is 128.

  • The Utilities index in Pacific Grove is 130.

Living Expense Pacific Grove California National Average
Overall 203 141 100
Services 109 110 100
Groceries 117 112 100
Health 121 110 100
Housing 402 195 100
Transportation 128 125 100
Utilities 130 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Pacific Grove Cost of Living Vs. CA

Pacific Grove, CA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Pacific Grove is $1,372,602.

  • The Median Rent in Pacific Grove is $2,384.

  • The Median Income in Pacific Grove is $105,568.

  • The Home Value To Income in Pacific Grove is 13.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Pacific Grove is 0.27x.

Statistic Pacific Grove California United States
Median Home Value $1,372,602 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,384 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $105,568 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 13.0x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,372,602
Median Home Value
$2,384
Median Rent
$105,568
Median Income

Pacific Grove, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Pacific Grove Services Costs Vs. California

Item Pacific Grove California
Shampoo $1.66 $1.28
Movie $13.31 $12.13
Bowling $33.3 $18
Haircut $33.94 $24.26
Beauty Salon $48.51 $45.56

Detailed Pacific Grove Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Pacific Grove California
Ground Beef $5.79 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.13 $1.57
Milk $5.05 $4.67
Potatoes $4.77 $4.93
Pizza $14.92 $12.09
Beer $10.99 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Pacific Grove Health Costs Vs. California

Item Pacific Grove California
Optometrist $158.95 $125.68
Doctor $194.05 $135.78
Dentist $147.78 $113.29

Detailed Pacific Grove Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Pacific Grove California
Gasoline $4.81 $3.46
Tire Balancing $65.62 $59.92

Detailed Pacific Grove Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Pacific Grove California
All Electricity $294.74 $193.99
Phone $190.07 $192.25

Pacific Grove SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
10
Affordability
3
Diversity
8
Safety
7
Amenities
9
Education
9
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Pacific Grove

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Pacific Grove. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Salinas, CA has a cost of living index of 149, 0.7x Pacific Grove.

  • Seaside, CA has a cost of living index of 162, 0.8x Pacific Grove.

  • Monterey, CA has a cost of living index of 190, 0.9x Pacific Grove.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Pacific Grove
Salinas, CA 161,993 149 0.7x
Seaside, CA 31,964 162 0.8x
Monterey, CA 29,772 190 0.9x
Marina, CA 22,324 159 0.8x
Prunedale, CA 19,286 165 0.8x
Castroville, CA 6,870 158 0.8x

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